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Accepted for/Published in: Journal of Medical Internet Research

Date Submitted: May 11, 2020
Date Accepted: Jun 21, 2020
Date Submitted to PubMed: Jun 22, 2020

The final, peer-reviewed published version of this preprint can be found here:

Telemedicine in Germany During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Multi-Professional National Survey

Peine A, Paffenholz P, Martin L, Dohmen S, Marx G, Loosen S

Telemedicine in Germany During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Multi-Professional National Survey

J Med Internet Res 2020;22(8):e19745

DOI: 10.2196/19745

PMID: 32568724

PMCID: 7409912

Telemedicine in Germany during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Multiprofessional National Survey

  • Arne Peine; 
  • Pia Paffenholz; 
  • Lukas Martin; 
  • Sandra Dohmen; 
  • Gernot Marx; 
  • Sven Loosen

ABSTRACT

Background:

In an effort to contain the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare systems globally implemented telemedical solutions in order to overcome staffing, technical and infrastructural limitations. In Germany, a multitude of telemedical systems are already in function, while new approaches are rapidly developed in response to the crisis. However, the extent of current implementation within different healthcare settings, the user acceptance and perception as well as the hindering technical and regulatory obstacles remain unclear.

Objective:

To assess the current status quo of availability as well as routine use of telemedical solutions, the user acceptance and the subjectively perceived burdens on telemedical approaches. Furthermore to identify information deficiencies amongst professional groups.

Methods:

A national online survey conducted on 14 consecutive days in March-April 2020, distributed to doctors, nurses and other medical professionals in German language.

Results:

A total of 2827 medical professionals participated in the study. 65.6% (n=1855) identified as doctors, 29.5% (n=833) as nursing staff and 4.9% (n=139) as others, e.g. therapeutic staff. A majority of participants rated the significance of telemedicine within the crisis as high (39%, n=1065) or neutral (26.4%, n=720), however there were significant differences between doctors and nurses (p=.01) as well as between the stationary sector compared to the ambulatory sector (p <.001). Telemedicine already is in routine use in 19.6% and in partial use in 40.2% of German healthcare providers. Participants working in private practices (40.2%, n=239) or private clinics (39.0%, n=23) experience less regulatory or technical obstacles, compared to university hospitals (49.2%, n=586). A majority of doctors rated the public information quality on COVID as good (50.8%, n= 942) or very good (11.5%, n=213), nurses rated the quality of public information significantly lower (p <.01).

Conclusions:

Telemedicine has a broad acceptance within German medical professionals. However, in order to establish telemedical structures within routine care, technical and regulatory burdens have to be overcome.


 Citation

Please cite as:

Peine A, Paffenholz P, Martin L, Dohmen S, Marx G, Loosen S

Telemedicine in Germany During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Multi-Professional National Survey

J Med Internet Res 2020;22(8):e19745

DOI: 10.2196/19745

PMID: 32568724

PMCID: 7409912

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